Broken Time
by AnakinCaffrey
Summary: Anakin has suffered for ten years and he's given the chance to fix one thing that shattered his world entirely. What he doesn't know is that changing this event could change his future entirely. -I own nothing but the storyline.- [DISCONTINUED]
1. The Incident

**POV: Obi-Wan Kenobi**

"No. Anakin isn't here right now. I don't know where he's run off to. He hasn't been here for quite some time. I apologize for inconveniencing you. I hope you find him soon."

The man at my door nodded and walked away from my door. I closed it slowly and turned around. I glanced up the stairway and sighed.

This hadn't been the first time I'd had to deter someone from taking him away. He's been locked up in that blasted room for the last decade. I'm surprised he hasn't died yet. There have been plenty of opportunities.

I locked the door and slowly crept upstairs. I walked down the hallway and quietly pushed his door open. He stood in front of the window, watching the speeder zoom away. "How much longer are you going to put up with me?" he whispered.

I shook my head and pushed the door open further as he turned slightly. His face looked like he'd been crying for some time. He'd been heartbroken for the last ten years and I knew he'd never be able to recover from _the incident._

"I'm not putting up with you, Anakin. I'm keeping an eye on you."

"I can take care of myself."

I scoffed at him. "Of course you can. It's not like you attempted suicide at least a dozen times."

He growled and glared. "I told you _not _to bring up the past _ever _again."

I knew that I wasn't supposed to bring up anything in regards to what happened in the last few years, but it was hard not to. He'd contained his emotions over the years, but he'd been _beyond _devastated in the first few.

"Anakin…"

"Please, just go," he begged, whispering. He closed his eyes and turned back to the window, arching over the frame.

I'd hoped that taking him somewhere serene might help him, but Naboo just wasn't his safe haven. He loved the scenery at night, however. He'd claimed that too many memories had been made here.

"If you need me, I'll be downstairs," I whispered.

I watched him fall to pieces in front of me and I knew there was nothing I could do to help him. He quietly sobbed by the window as I closed the door on him.

I walked across the wooden floor and sat on the landing of the stairway. I held my head in my hand as I thought back to the fateful day that I'd lost the man I'd been proud to call my brother.

He, Ahsoka, and I had been on Jabiim ten years ago. I'd been the one giving everyone else orders, which meant that I'd been responsible for splitting the two of them up.

Anakin knew that Ahsoka had feelings for a certain Bonteri male, but that didn't cause his ill feelings about the mission as a whole. Lux Bonteri had been captured by the Separatists because of his mother and Ahsoka had been the first one to jump at the offer of going to his rescue.

I still remember his words as I gave him and Ahsoka their designated parts of the mission. "_If she gets hurt, I will never speak to you again._"

His feelings for her clouded his judgment and he had no way of knowing that something so horrible was bound to happen. He'd put so much faith into his Padawan, as had I, and we'd fallen for such a horrid trick.

**Flashback: Ten years ago.**

I sat in the encampment we'd set up a few days ago. The rain was pouring heavily and I hadn't heard from neither Anakin nor Ahsoka. I raised my comlink to my face and commed Anakin. "Anakin, come in. Do you copy?"

"_Ana – here. Mas – where – Ahsoka?_"

"Anakin, I can't hear a blasted thing you're saying. I'm in the camp. Can you come back to me?"

"_On m – way._"

Within twenty minutes, he'd showed up. His hair was drenched, as were his Jedi robes. I stood up as he came closer to me. He was breathing heavily and he looked worried. "Have you… have you heard from Ahsoka?"

I shook my head. "I was hoping that you might have."

He also shook his head. "I've heard nothing. I'm worried about her, Obi-Wan. I've never let her go off on her own like this. What if she's trapped or drowned or –"

"You trust Ahsoka, correct?"

He swallowed and nodded. "Of course I do."

"Then you've nothing to worry about. She knows what she's getting herself into and she's got your faith to keep herself going."

He nodded as he shivered slightly. "Why don't you go dry yourself off, Anakin? I'll keep an eye and an ear out for her, all right?"

He glanced over his shoulder for a few moments, but nodded. "Let me know if you hear anything."

"Don't I always?"

He sighed, but smirked. I watched him walk past me into one of the makeshift tents.

A few days past and we'd still heard nothing from Ahsoka. He'd attempted to run through the rainy mist, but I warned him of the dangers of that idea. One, he could get captured. Two, he could hurt himself. Three, it wasn't worth it right now because there was no way in the blasted Force that he'd be able to see where he's going or make it back. He said he was worried because he'd lost his ability to feel her presence, but I told him not to worry.

After nearly four days, one of the troopers ran into our tent during the night. "Generals," he gasped, sounding out of breath.

Anakin and I sat up quickly and stared at the man in surprise. He was one of Ahsoka's men. Anakin got up quickly. "Where's Commander Tano?" he asked quickly.

The man shook his head and pulled a device out of his belt. He held it out and Anakin nearly jumped to take it from him. The clone left immediately and we heard several clones asking him if he was all right, asking him what had happened, and so on.

Anakin stared at the holoprojector in his hands and quickly brought up the hologram on it. We saw Ahsoka in Force binders, being dragged through an encampment by several figures in the air. I mean _literally _being dragged. I stared at his face as he gaped at the scene playing via holoprojection.

She was lifted quickly and looked injured as well as saddened by whatever had been done to her.

She was quickly thrust into a tent, falling down onto her knees. Her arms were behind her and she stared up at the man with a buzzing blade. She closed her eyes and was practically giving into what was destined to happen.

"_Shall we give you a fighting chance or shall I just slay you where you sit?_"

Lux Bonteri began to laugh beside him. "_Just kill her. She was foolish enough to fall for this joke._"

The man was familiar to me and it took a few moments to recognize him. _Pre Vizsla._ He'd been affiliated with Death Watch the last time I'd seen him and he attempted to get rid of Satine, the Duchess of Mandalore.

"_Foolish, indeed. I thought the Jedi were forbidden to love? Why would you give into this so easily? You're such a pathetic waste of space. How could you ever fulfill your Master's expectations? Oh, if only he knew about what you'd done._"

She lifted her head up at him and growled. "_Do _not _bring my Master into this._"

"_Too late, little girl. We're recording this right now. Once we're finished with you, we'll send this directly to him via one of the surviving clones._"

I saw Anakin's heart break on his face. "_No! Please, don't. I beg you. Don't hurt him._"

"_Oh, do you have feelings for your Master, too? These are your final words to him, so make them good._"

"_I don't want him brought into this! If he sees this, I swear I'll kill you!_"

I'd never heard her speak like that before and, judging by Anakin's face, neither had he. Vizsla laughed and shook his head. "_So you've nothing to say to him?_"

She looked uncertain for a few moments before sighing. "_Master, I hope you don't see this. I hope you're proud of me even though I've failed you. I love you. I love you so much. You and I have been so close… and I'm so sorry for all the disappointments I've given you._"

Tears began to form in his eyes as he took her words in. She _loved _him. He'd never thought she would return his feelings, nor had I. I expected her to be more of the rule abiding Jedi, but I'd been wrong.

"_I love you so much, Master,_" she whispered, bowing her head.

Vizsla rolled his eyes as he raised his hand. The binders on her wrists were removed and she immediately stood up. "_Fight, child. Prove yourself to your Master, if he means that much to you._"

"Ahsoka, no," he whispered beside me, shaking his head. "Please, _no…_" I took the holoprojector from him as he continued to stare in horror.

She stood quickly and backed away from Vizsla. Her lightsabers were thrown to her feet and she lifted them quickly with the Force, activating them. She looked determined and I knew that was how Anakin liked to see her, but he didn't like where this was going.

Vizsla had a dark saber and I knew firsthand how difficult it was to defeat him with that weapon. He lunged towards her and several swings ensued. She'd blocked most of his blows and she'd even come close to hitting him several times.

After a few minutes of watching the fight, the dark saber slipped past her defenses and dug itself into her midsection.

"No!" he screamed beside me, scaring me. She had tears in her eyes as she gasped painfully. The dark saber was deactivated and a burning hole was where her stomach was. She dropped her sabers and they deactivated.

She held her midsection and curled into herself. I could hear the small cries echoing out of her as well as the ones beside me. Vizsla came into view and laughed into the projection. "_Was she worth your time, Skywalker? Your pathetic Padawan had no chance in the real world. She's nothing without you. Does the same go for you?_"

I watched as a clone was tossed onto the ground near her barely breathing body. It was the clone that had come back into our encampment. "_You will take this projection to General Skywalker immediately. Do you understand me?_"

He stared wide-eyed at the dying Padawan until he was kicked in the face. The projection fizzled and Anakin jumped up, running quickly out into the rain.

I ran after him, leaving the projection in the tent. He grabbed the clone. "Where is that camp?" he screamed, shaking the man's shoulders.

"Three clicks west," he whispered, staring at Anakin in fear.

Anakin took off and I followed him once again.

After a few minutes, we reached a burning encampment. I stopped and watched him run into the middle of the encampment. He fell to his knees and pulled his lifeless apprentice into his arms.

I walked over to him as he held her against his chest and sobbed. "A-Ahsoka," he whispered repeatedly, his voice shaking to the point where I almost didn't know what he was saying.

His arms were wrapped around her tightly and her head hung over his shoulder. I stared sadly at his face as tears and raindrops dripped down his cheeks.

He rocked back and forth for quite some time, wishing that she would wake up and laugh, telling him that she was just kidding. He stroked her dead cheeks and montrals, smiling weakly as he whispered, "Come on, Soka, you've pulled through much worse in the past. You can't leave me now…"

I knew that this was just the beginning of his madness. Denying her death would only hurt him more.

I watched as the light faded from his eyes over the next few hours. I could feel the darkness consuming him and I felt the Anakin I knew slipping away.

He told me in confidence not too long ago that he'd fallen for her and, judging by the way he touched her and talked to her in these last few minutes, I had no doubt about it.

He lost _his love._


	2. Out and About

**POV: Obi-Wan Kenobi**

I woke up the next morning to hear a bunch of racket downstairs. I lurched into a sitting position and jumped out of bed quickly.

The first thing I thought was that someone had broken in, wanting to take Anakin. I couldn't let anyone take him. Because of his past actions, they'd put him into asylum. If he were in his right mind, he wouldn't want that and I'd never put him through that.

I ran out of my room and down the stairs, pulling my lightsaber into my hand from the cabinet below the sink in the bathroom at the bottom of the stairwell.

I ignited it and entered the kitchen. Anakin jumped and lifted his hands into the air, immediately dropping the food he'd found. "Oh, it's just you," I sighed.

"I'm sorry."

I deactivated my lightsaber and set it down on the counter and walked over to him, helping him clean up the mess. "I didn't mean to scare you, Anakin."

I watched his hands shake as he attempted to move the pieces of bread. I grabbed his hands gently and stared at his face. "Anakin, relax. It's me."

His eyes held so much hurt and so much fear. "Go sit on the couch. I'll bring you something to eat in a minute, all right?"

He swallowed and nodded slowly. I helped him stand up and led him towards the couch. "Turn something on and calm down."

He sat down and clasped his shaking hands together, staring at them. I couldn't help the frown that curved upon my lips. He was so _empty._

I walked back into the kitchen and began to cook something for him to eat. A cleaning droid came in and cleaned up the mess he'd made. "Hey, how would you feel about getting out of here for a while?"

I leaned backwards and glanced at him. He was staring at me in confusion. "Out of here?"

"Yeah. I could take you around the planet for a while. You could probably use some fresh air."

"I open the windows in my room."

"But you haven't been outside in several years, Anakin. You can't stay in this blasted house forever."

"Yes, I can."

I sighed and rolled my eyes, leaning forward to continue working on the food.

After five minutes, everything was all set. I scooped some of the soup into a bowl and brought it out for him. "Here you go."

He stared at it before grabbing the spoon and beginning to eat. I sat beside him and watched him. I just realized how thin he'd become. He was empty on the inside and the outside.

"So you don't want to go out for a –"

"_No_," he snapped.

"Why, Anakin? You've been in this blasted house forever. You _need _to get out and walk around in the grass."

"I told you why."

"Why don't you remind me? It's been a long time since we've actually had a conversation. You only say upwards of six or seven words before closing a conversation. _Speak._"

"There's too many memories."

"Such as?" I pressed, wanting him to tell me everything so I could understand him better.

"_Her._"

"What about her?"

"This was our haven. We came here on leave."

"Did you two ever do anything here that made the planet special?"

"I kissed her here. By the waterfall."

I could see the tears clouding his blue eyes. I rested a hand on his shoulder. We were _finally _making progress. It's been ten years since he spoke about Ahsoka. "She loved you, Anakin."

"I wanted to love her. I wanted to be with her…"

He bowed his head and raised his hands to hold it. "I miss her so much," he whispered, sobbing.

"I miss her, too, Anakin. Just remember that you're never alone, okay? We _both _lost her that day."

He sat in silence for a few moments before finally meeting my eyes. "The anniversary of her death is in two days."

I nodded sorrowfully. "I know, Anakin," I whispered.

"I want to go to her grave."

"Anakin, that's on Shili. Do you know how long it'll take to get there?"

"I want to go to her grave," he repeated, grinding it out slowly as he glared at me.

I sighed, giving in. If it meant getting him off of the planet for a while, then I might as well take it. He'd never leave on his own accord. "Do you need to pack anything?"

"No."

"We'll be gone for a few days, Anakin. Go pack some clothes."

He nodded and stood up. I grabbed his wrist. "I didn't mean right this moment. Finish eating."

He stared at me like _I _had gone crazy, but sat back down beside me. He ate in complete silence for several minutes. I watched him eagerly because this was the first time he'd actually come downstairs. Normally, he'd sit in the hallway until I figured out what he wanted. "So you still have your lightsaber."

"I've only kept it so I can protect us."

"Do you have mine?"

"Yes, but I'm not going to give it to you just yet."

"Do you have _hers?_" he whispered.

I stared at him sadly. That, I could understand him wanting. He'd wanted her lightsabers for a few years now, but I believed he was too unstable to give a weapon to. "Yes, Anakin."

He lifted his head and looked at me. "When you think I'm capable of not wanting to commit suicide, can I have them?"

"Yes, but you need to prove that I can trust you with them."

"I've survived ten years without her. Yes, it breaks my heart to live without her, but I've done it. I don't want to die as badly as I did before."

"You wanted to die because you blamed yourself for –"

"I think I know quite well why I wanted to die," he growled.

I raised my hands in defeat and just let it end there. He threw the spoon across the room and sighed in frustration before grabbing at his hair. "What's wrong?"

"I _still _blame myself for her death," he whispered. "I wonder what could have happened if she'd survived. If she had survived the duel with Vizsla, could she and I have had a relationship?"

"There's no way of telling now," I whispered sadly, resting a hand on his leg.

"I could have saved her."

The last time he'd said that, we'd gotten into a fist-fight. Of course, I'd won, but that was beside the point. He wanted to believe that he could have known she was going to be captured and that he could have prevented her death.

"I wish I could go back and save her," he said, his voice breaking as he began to break down again.

I pulled him against me and he cried harder than he'd ever cried before. I hated seeing him this way, but he had been the sole reason for my leaving the Jedi.

After her death, he'd gone insane and began to slaughter so many people. So many _select _people. They were all members of Lux Bonteri's family. He never could find Lux himself, despite how hard he tried. Believe me, he tried _very _hard.

I remember sitting in the Council room with my communicator at night, waiting for him to call me and tell me he was on his way home. He'd been expelled after the tenth assassination attempt failed.

I told the Council that he was dangerous and needed an eye kept on him. Their best suggestion was that we put him out of his misery and I couldn't do that to him. I'd thrown my Jedi career away along with the love of my life so I could protect him.

I stared down at the broken man and wished I could do something for him.

A thought hit me like a speeder hitting a drunkard while he's unaware. I had a laboratory downstairs. There were several mechanical things down there as well. I wondered…

"Come on, Anakin. Let's go get your things together so we can leave soon."

He rubbed his eyes and wiped his face while nodding. I watched him sit up and stand moments later as if nothing had happened. In reality, his spirit had shattered and he had thought about dying more than once.

I stood and put a hand on his back as he walked up the stairway. He walked down the hall and into his room and began to search for something to put his clothes into. "I'll get you something."

He nodded and watched me exit his room. I wandered into my room and found an extra pack. I emptied it of my belongings and walked back into his room, handing it to him. "Thank you."

"It's no big –"

"Not for the pack," he whispered, lifting his eyes to meet mine. "Thank you for _everything._"

I smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. "You're my little brother. I'm going to do whatever I possibly can to take care of you. No matter what happens, you've always got me, Anakin."

His lips trembled as they curved into a crooked smile. "Thank you."

He quickly diverted his eyes towards the pack and began to toss a few outfits into it. I was surprised that he'd kept all of his Jedi outfits. I glanced over at his nightstand beside his bed and felt my heart sink into my stomach.

I saw the holorecording of Ahsoka's death lying on top of it along with a few holoprojections of her. I wondered when he'd had the time to capture holos of his apprentice, but, knowing him, he was capable of getting anything that he wanted.

After he was finished, I entered my room and began to throw a few things into my own pack. I'd finished quicker than him because he hadn't seen most of his things in years. The only things he ever touched were anything related to Ahsoka and his own clothing.

I gave him a cloak to wear and pulled the hood over his head. He stared at me in confusion and I shook my head. He didn't need to know right now that people kept coming to take him. He understood that he was being searched for by the men that came in speeders, but he didn't exactly know what for.

I led him outside and we walked towards the speeder. We got everything in and began to head for the nearest ship salesman.

When we stopped outside, I saw him gape for a few moments before staring at me.

"I don't have a ship for us, so I need to buy one. I trust you can stay put while I go in?"

He bit his lip and nodded. "Just keep your head down and if you need help, then you'd better come get me."

Again, he nodded. I hopped out and turned just to make sure he was all right. He had his head down and his arms over his chest. I sighed and turned once again, heading into the shop.

As I spoke with the man and made a deal, I found my thoughts wandering back to Anakin. He hadn't been outside in ten years. How could he possibly handle seeing so many people again?

The man sold me a small ship that was perfectly priced and perfect for a small trip such as the one Anakin wanted to go on.

I was given the access code to enter the ship and I walked out after paying the good man. "All right, we're all set for the trip."

He looked up at me with tears in his eyes. "What's wrong?" I whispered as I came closer to him.

"I want to go. _Now._"

"We've got a ship to –"

"_No._ I want to go _home._"

"We came all this way to buy a ship. You said it yourself that you wanted to go to Shili. Do you _not _want to go now?"

His lips quivered slightly and he looked uncertain. "Anakin, this is the life that you used to live. There's nothing to fear here. Come on."

He nodded and slowly crawled out of the speeder. I grabbed the packs and we headed towards the small ship.

I have to admit, it looked pretty beat up, but Anakin _loved _it.


	3. Memory Relapse

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I knew I'd drifted off into sleep. I could always tell. It was one of those things where, in reality, you know the person in your dream is gone, but you just can't help but think they're alive again.

Her beautiful orange skin radiated as the sun shined on her. It was nearly twelve years ago when we were on Naboo like this.

Her back was pressed against my chest as we sat and stared at the beauty of the waterfall at night. "_What do you think of all of this? I mean, isn't this kind of breaking the code? You know I care about you, but I don't know if I can fall in love with you. You're my Master…_"

I remember kissing her montral and whispering words that, at the time, felt right. "_I don't want to push you beyond your limits, but I just want you to know that _I _love _you._ I always will, Ahsoka._"

I smiled as she lifted herself from my body and turned around to face me. Her blue eyes were sparkling like the stars above us. I put my hand on her hip as her face came closer to mine. Her eyes closed and mine did shortly afterwards.

I could still feel the warmth of her lips as they pressed against mine. Her nose brushed up against mine and her hands felt warm on my neck. Her fingers tugged at my hair and her thumbs rubbed my jaw.

I leaned backwards and laid onto my back, placing a hand on her lower back and a hand on the center of her rear lek. Her legs straddled my waist and I moaned into the kiss. I loved feeling her fingers moving through my hair.

Once she pulled away, she gasped and laughed lightly. "_Wow._"

I smiled up at her and rubbed her left side with my mechanical hand. "_Master…_"

I lurched up and she landed onto her back, staring up at me with wide eyes. I'd wanted to laugh at how afraid she felt in that moment, but there was nothing to really laugh about. Being that I was six years older and a male, she thought I'd hurt her. In reality, I could _never _hurt her that way.

I kissed her gently and trailed my hands down her lekku. Her back arched and her chest was pressed against mine as I continued to kiss her passionately.

We'd come so close to taking each other that night, but she'd stopped me and told me to think about what I was doing. "_If something were to happen to me, you'd lose your mind. You'd go after everyone and anyone just because of me. I can't allow you to hurt yourself. I'm sorry if this hurts you, but I can't do this, Anakin. I love you like a brother, so…_"

Twelve years ago, it felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest. From that day until her death, I'd been in love with her and she knew it. She knew how hard it was for me to let her go off on her own and she'd complained about it numerous times.

My anxiety kept her from achieving greater goals in her life. She fought with me about my feelings and told me that I was holding her back.

And the one time I let her go, I lost her _forever._

"Anakin," a voice whispered.

I opened my eyes to see Obi-Wan in front of me. The old man looked so worn out and so sad. I knew I was causing him grief. He didn't think I understood very much of anything. I knew what those men in speeders came for and I understood that everything was my fault.

If anyone found me, Obi-Wan would be torn to pieces. He's been taking care of me and I've been so… _unappreciative _of his efforts. I'd sit around, moping and whining silently because I couldn't save her.

I'd forced him into a tough position and he'd lost everything he ever dreamed of. The night he took me from the temple, I'd heard a conversation he was having with a certain Mandalorian Duchess.

I'd torn him away from her and I regretted it. If my first suicidal attempt had worked, then I wouldn't have put him in this position. He would grieve for me, but he could have lived out his life as a Jedi and won the heart of the woman of his dreams.

"Are you all right?"

I nodded, not feeling like speaking right this moment. Every time I thought about the sacrifices he made for me, my throat tightened up and forbid words from escaping my lips. "What's on your mind, little brother?"

_Little brother._ Those words tore at my soul like you couldn't imagine. He loved me enough to save me from exile and from being executed and I'd done _nothing _to repay him. He called me his brother and I had nothing to give back to him to prove that I was grateful to him.

His heart was pure and he only cared about the good of others while I drowned in my own self pity. I didn't want to burden him with anymore of my problems. "Nothing," I whispered, my voice cracking.

The only thing I wanted right now was to lie beside Ahsoka's grave, run my fingers through the grass and dirt, and pretend that she was there beside me. I wanted to die here and I wanted to die at her grave. I wanted to be with her forever.

"I know that look," he whispered, sounding frightened. "Anakin, please, don't tell me that you're thinking about committing suicide again."

I slowly lifted my eyes to meet his. He knew me _too _well. I sighed and looked away from him. His hands rested on my shoulders and he silently forced me to look at him again. "I brought you here, hoping you could finally come to a sense of closure. She's gone, Anakin. She's been gone for almost ten years. It's time that you let go and move on."

"She said she loved me," I gasped. "I _can't _just _let her go._"

"There's nothing you can do now, Anakin. I'm sorry, but that's the harsh reality. She loved you. You're clinging onto a girl whose life ended nearly a decade ago. She wouldn't want you to live this way. She would want you to be happy."

"I…" I was going to tell him that I was perfectly happy the way I was, but that would be a complete _lie._ I'd been unhappy for ten years. There's no way he could ever believe that I was truly happy during this period. I shook my head and closed my eyes.

Mentally, I wanted to die, but, physically, I was _already _dead. My heart had gone with her. I wondered why I hadn't been able to sense her anymore. It should have clued me in on the fact that she wasn't _alive _anymore.

I could still feel her cool skin as I held her corpse. I held her against my chest. I knew I was in denial then. I kept laughing, thinking that she'd sit up and tell me that I should have seen my own face. I kept waiting for her hand to lift and stroke my cheek.

_She never woke up._

I carried her lifeless body back to the shuttle. I cried as I sat with her in my arms on the shuttle as we made our way back up to the _Resolute._ There was no way that she could be torn away from me until we arrived on Shili.

Obi-Wan had informed her parents of the loss and, since she was Shili's well-known Princess, a grand funeral was held. Her parents told me that she'd talked about me a lot, hinting at her own feelings towards me. They showed me letters that she sent them, holorecordings that she'd sent. I'd never once witnessed her writing them or standing in the dorm with the recorder in her hand.

To this day, I still have those recordings and letters. Everything that she'd owned, I'd taken from the temple. I even have her Padawan braid. I _treasured _everything that she'd touched.

I could _almost _hear her voice while I read the letters. I had one stuffed into my vest right this moment. I unconsciously lifted my hand to my chest and rested it above my heart like she had one night, so many years ago.

I smiled to myself despite the feeling of Obi-Wan's eyes on me. I opened my eyes and stared at him. "You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

"No. I'm just glad to see a real smile on your face. What's made you happy?"

"Ahsoka," I whispered.

"Do you see her?" he asked, sounding surprised.

"Just memories."

I watched him sigh a bit and smirked. "She'll always hold a special part of your soul, Anakin. I've never said to let her go completely. It's just time that you've accepted her death and got back to your old life."

"My _old _life?" I asked incredulously. I laughed and shook my head. "I can't go back to that. I'm forbidden from entering the temple and my apprentice is dead. What is there to go back to exactly?"

"_That _isn't what I meant. I meant that your personality needs to be revived. You've been dull and just downright depressing. You _need _to be happy."

"The love of my life was stripped away from me."

"She was _seventeen _and you were _twenty-three. _How does that make her the love of your life? You only knew her for roughly three years. At least you were able to save the Republic before you fell to pieces."

"I know what I did was wrong."

"_Wrong?_ You murdered _innocent _people, Anakin!"

I clenched my teeth and balled my hands into fists. "I did it for _her!_ She was _brutally _murdered! _I returned the favor._"

"You made your actions so blatant that even a blind man knew it was you!"

I closed my eyes and my nostrils flared. What he said was right, but that didn't mean I wanted to hear it. How could he _not _understand my reason? He sat beside me as we watched Ahsoka's death scene on a holoprojector.

Whatever was left of my heart began to crumble into dust. Tears were forming in my eyes even though I tried to stop them. They slid down my cheeks as my flesh hand began to shake. My finger nails dug into my palm and I could feel the blood trickling down my arm at a slow pace.

He grabbed my hand and my eyes snapped open. "Don't do that to yourself," he whispered. "I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry for my outburst."

I sighed and shook my head. "Don't apologize. You've held this in for ten years. Let it out."

"It's unfair to take it out on you. As you mentioned before, you did it for her. You were grieving and, though I don't agree with the way you went about it, I _do _understand how hurt you were. If this had happened to –"

He paused and his grip on my hand tightened slightly. "Satine?" I whispered.

He cast his gaze away from me and nodded. "If it had happened to Satine, I would have been in a bad state of mind as you were."

He'd always been afraid to talk about her in front of me. He thought that I'd break down because his relationship with Satine reminded me of mine with Ahsoka, though ours never really came to be…

"Why don't you try to catch up with her when we get back to Naboo?" I whispered, raising my left eyebrow at him.

"It's been a decade since I've spoken with her. I think it's too late for –"

"It's _never _too late."

He stared at me sadly for a few moments. "_Never._"

He chuckled for a second, smiling as he shook his head. He held my hand tightly. "Now you're beginning to sound like your old self. I'll think about it, little one."

"Just… get back to flying the ship," I sighed.

Again, he chuckled. He squeezed my hand before letting go and sitting back in the pilot's seat.


	4. Surprise at the Grave

**POV: Obi-Wan Kenobi**

We lounged around a motel for a day before we finally visited Ahsoka's grave. He bought a rose with the few credits he'd kept over the years.

I watched as he fell to his knees in front of her grave. He gently laid the rose by the gravestone and traced over her name that was engraved into it. "I love you," he whispered. "I always will."

I didn't interrupt him. Instead, I watched in curiosity. I never understood the feelings he'd been harboring since her death, aside from emptiness and sadness. "I miss you, Soka. I miss your laugh and your smile. I miss having you at my side or covering my back. If I could bring you back, you know I would."

His voice was shaking and his breath caught every now and then. I knew he was reaching his emotional limit and I was almost ready to pull him away from the area. "There hasn't been a day that I haven't wished I could save you. To feel your dead skin against mine… I didn't want you to go out that way. I tried to avenge your death…" he trailed off, bowing his head. "_I can't find Bonteri_," he growled.

He ran his hand along the right side of the stone. "I'll kill him someday. You'll see…"

As much as it scared me to think that he was being completely honest, he wouldn't be able to kill Bonteri in this life. He looked up at the sky and smiled. For the first time in ten years, I felt _peace _erupting from his form.

"Anakin!" I shouted.

He glanced over his shoulder. "Yeah?"

I cleared my throat, feeling flustered. "A-are you all right?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You feel… _happy._"

"I heard her," he whispered. Again, he smiled.

My fears of him losing his mind had once again resurfaced. "_He isn't lying, Master._"

I jumped when the familiar female voice rang in my thoughts. "Ahsoka?" I asked aloud.

"_It's me._"

"How?"

"_I've become one with the Force._"

For a moment, I watched her appear in front of Anakin. He stood up and she rested her hands on his chest. She looked like she was _twenty-seven._ I gaped as she smiled up at him. "_Hello, Master._"

He lifted a shaking hand up to stroke her cheek gently. "You're really here," he whispered.

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

"_I'm really here._"

I put my hands on either side of her ghostly face and smiled widely at her, not believing this for one moment. If this were one of my fantasies, I'd enjoy it as long as I could.

"_Anakin, you need to let go of me. I know it hurts you, but…_"

"If you know me, you know I can't do that," I whispered. I lowered my mechanical hand and she grasped it. I felt something holding my hand, but it had no feeling. It was neither cold nor warm. It was just… _there._

"_I want you to be happy._"

"Stay with me."

"_I'm always with you._"

"Don't make me let go of you," I whispered, my voice sounding like I was on the verge of tears. As a matter of fact, I _was _on the verge of tears.

She smiled beautifully at me. She lifted her hands up to my face and stroked my cheeks, wiping my tears away. "_Just stay with Obi-Wan and we'll be together soon, okay?_"

"What do you mean?"

"_I love you, Master._"

She moved closer to me at a slow pace. I closed my eyes as her lips brushed up against mine. Once again, there was no feeling. Her lips were against mine and I enjoyed it nonetheless. Once we separated, she brushed my hair out of my face. "_Get a haircut._"

"I love you," I whispered.

"_I know you do. You've been telling me for the last ten years_," she whispered, smiling at me. "_I promise that we'll be together soon. Obi-Wan will make it possible._"

I glanced over my shoulder to see such a confused look cross his expression. I turned around as she was beginning to fade. "_No! _Don't leave me!"

I grabbed her hand as she was transforming into a mist. "_I'll be with you tonight, Anakin._ _I love you._"

And without another word, she was _gone._ Obi-Wan's hands quickly rested on my shoulders. His arms wrapped around me protectively because he knew that seeing her would traumatize me.

I fell to my knees with him latched onto me. I grabbed his arm and cried. I felt weak, but that was a result of Ahsoka's presence in general. She'd always made me feel weak because she had that effect on me.

"I want to go home," I said through my sobs. I hadn't expected to see her while we were here and I think that hurt me more than anything.

After ten years, she finally decided to show herself. She finally came to me and told me that she heard everything I'd been saying over the years. "I want to go home," I repeated.

He nodded quickly behind me. "I'll take you home, little brother."

He helped me up and practically carried me away from her grave. I needed his support and I was thankful to him that he was able to realize this on his own. I don't know what I'd do without him in my life…

**POV: Obi-Wan Kenobi**

It took several hours to get him to relax. I knew from the start that this would hurt him in the end.

I glanced to my right to see him shift in his sleep. His legs were pulled up to his chest and his arms were wrapped around them. He slept at an awkward angle with his back to me.

I felt sick to my stomach. Never, and I mean _never_, in my life, had I expected Ahsoka to be so _cruel _to him. As if losing her wasn't enough, she had to come back and torment him with false hopes of ever seeing her again.

The only way he'd ever see her again was if I killed him and allowed him to pass on into the afterlife – which I was _not _going to do anytime soon.

He'd survived through the Clone War and had defeated the Sith Lord, but he just wasn't the same after he lost Ahsoka. He'd lost her and his faith in the Chancellor. Palpatine turned out to be the Sith Lord we'd been looking for and Anakin had done everything in his power to defeat him.

I was beginning to doze off in the pilot's seat until he began to mumble words under his breath and sound as if he were struggling. I sat up straighter and watched him cave into himself.

He began to pant, so I reached over and tapped his shoulder a few times. "Anakin, wake up."

He gasped and sounded as if his air were being restricted. Within moments, he burst into a sitting position and held his throat. "What happened?" I asked quickly.

"Just… just a bad… bad dream," he whispered, shaking his head as his eyes closed.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

And that was the end of the conversation. The rest of the trip back to Naboo was in complete silence.

We landed in the ship dealer's lot and got our speeder back without a problem.

Once we arrived at the old house, he crashed onto the couch. "Tired?"

He nodded. I walked over to him and pulled a blanket over his body. His eyes opened briefly and he whispered, "Thank you," to me.

I smiled. "Get some rest, little one."

I could sense that he still didn't like being referred to as a young person. I smirked and walked over to the door leading to my laboratory. "I'll be downstairs if you need me."

He nodded slowly before flipping over so his back was to me.

I pulled the door open and walked down the narrow stairway. I pulled a box of mechanical items out of its storage area and set it down on the work bench.

I'd read stories about men being able to create devices to reverse time, but they'd been proven wrong. Other men had been able to travel backwards in time and that theory had yet to be proven or disproven.

I, however, didn't want to wait for the analyzing of those theories. I wanted to _prove _them to myself.

I began to tinker with objects for a few minutes. I pulled out a HoloPad from beneath the desk in the corner and began to search through for entries on the making of time traveling devices.

If anyone could make this work, it would be me and Anakin would more than likely be a much happier person. I sighed to myself and realized that he'd laugh at me for even thinking it was possible to go back in time.

The whole thought in itself was laughable and unbelievable.

A thought came to mind suddenly. "_I promise that we'll be together soon. Obi-Wan will make it possible._"

Ahsoka said that to Anakin. What if she knew that I was going to attempt this? If she knew I would make it possible for him to be with her again, then I must succeed, right?

"_Trust your instincts, Master._"

I jumped when I felt a ghostly hand on my shoulder. I looked back to see the young Togruta smiling at me. "What if this doesn't work? What if it gets his hopes up?"

I watched her move around me and begin to tinker with the objects as I had moments earlier. I watched her curiously and actually began to help her create the device.

Within a matter of hours, it appeared as though we were getting closer to finishing. "I need to go make him dinner or he'll starve himself."

She stared at me sadly. "_I never meant to hurt him..._"

I sighed and shook my head. "It wasn't you. It was what happened to you that caused him to fall apart as he did. He loved you beyond words and…"

"_I know he did,_" she whispered. "_I told him to let go of me even though I knew he'd never be able to. I didn't want to break his heart, but I had to. I told him that my love for him only went as far as a brother and sister's love. It wasn't until I was on my deathbed that I actually told him I loved him._"

She was just as crushed as he'd been after watching her collapse onto the ground with a gaping hole in her midsection. "At least you were able to tell him."

"_He thought I loved Lux. I did, but I realized that I was in love with Anakin before we'd even received the mission._"

I grasped her dead hand in mine and smiled weakly at her. "You told him that you loved him. That's what matters the most to him."

"_I only wish I'd done it sooner._" Her voice was barely audible and she looked as though she were going to cry. "_He means so much to me even though I'm dead. I still love him with my heart and soul._"

I nodded slowly, believing her words. "You go upstairs and tell him that while I make food for us."

"_I can't tell him that. Do you know how upset he'll be?_"

"Have you seen him recently?"

"_Valid point. Regardless, I can't face him with my feelings. I've never been able to. I'll stay here and finish the device while you get him something to eat. Keep him alive, Obi-Wan._"

I left her alone to finish the device as she pleased and I went upstairs to search for a Mandalorian recipe that I'd received from Satine. Anakin loved her foods and I wanted to make them just as well.

After spending a few hours with him in silence, he crept up the stairs and entered his room for the night. I sighed and returned to the laboratory to see Ahsoka smiling widely at me.

"_It's done._"


	5. The Device

**POV: Obi-Wan Kenobi**

The next morning, I entered Anakin's room. He was still asleep with the curtains closed over the window.

Ahsoka and I had spoken for some time last night, discussing the consequences that Anakin could face by traveling back in time.

For one, he would become his past self in order to avoid a paradox. All of his memories and such would travel with him into his old body and he'd be in complete control.

However, neither of us knew what this would do to the timeline we were currently living. We both feared that something horrible could come out of this, but Anakin would be the only one to realize it.

If he were to mess up the past, then Ahsoka and I wouldn't exist as we do now…

I sat beside him on the bed and put my hand on his arm. "Anakin, wake up."

He groaned, not wanting to be woken up this early. As a matter of fact, he usually woke himself up about halfway through the afternoon. He rubbed his eyes and slowly opened them to look up at me. "What do you want?"

I smiled. "I have something for you."

I watched his tired look transform into a very tired _and_ confused look. "Would you like to come with me to see it?"

He nodded slowly and pushed himself up into a sitting position. He wore a white undershirt and black sweatpants. It was comfortable for him at least.

He slid off of the bed and I led him down into the dining room. I picked up the device and handed it to him. I almost laughed and how confused he was, but I knew he wouldn't know what it was.

I shook my head and stepped closer to him. "This device was manufactured by two of your closest friends. It will allow you to travel back in time."

"Is this a joke?" he whispered. "Because, if it is, I'm going back to bed."

"I'm not kidding."

He grabbed the device and inspected it. "Travel back in time?"

I nodded. "To any day, any time."

For the first time in a very long time, his eyes looked lit up. "Tell me how to use it."

I grabbed the device from him and showed him how to work it. "Now, you need to realize this, you are going to be your younger self. All of your memories from this timeline will exist with you and, as odd as it may sound, you could actually survive in your past self's body."

"Are you telling me to stay there?"

"I'm telling you that you can go back and fall in love with Ahsoka."

"But…" he trailed off, his eyes growing sadder. "What about us? What about this timeline? What about _you?_"

"Inform my past self of everything you know. Keep everything on a need to know basis with Ahsoka. She said she wants that. I, however, want you to tell me everything, so you be sure to do that."

"What if something goes wrong?"

"Tell _me _before you save Ahsoka's life. You can go back to anytime before her death, before I sent you two in different directions…"

He gave me a very sad look. His sad eyes pierced through me and he surprised me when his arms wrapped around me tightly. I was so stunned that I couldn't comprehend how tightly he was holding onto me.

"Thank you for _everything _you've done for me," he whispered. "There's no way I could _ever _repay you…"

I smiled and returned the embrace. "I'm just taking care of my family."

He pulled back and rested his hands on my shoulders. "You have no idea how grateful I truly am. If it hadn't been for you, my life would have been over."

His words touched me in a way that I completely understood. I'd missed this side of him. Since we came to Naboo, he's been very depressing and antisocial, but he was _finally _beginning to turn around.

"Just take care of yourself back there, all right? If you get yourself killed, we'll never have a conversation like this in the future."

He smiled and nodded. "I'll take care of you in the past. I promise I'll make it up to you, whether you remember it or not."

"Get going," I said, laughing.

He let go of me and backed up. I could feel the hesitation amongst his excitement. He didn't want to leave me. I didn't want him to leave me either, but this was for _his _benefit. I'd still stick around with him in the future. I wanted him to live a happier life than he had.

He had the chance to relive the last ten years and make a difference.

"I love you, big brother," he whispered, tears trickling down his face.

I smiled. "Love you, little brother."

With that said, he activated the device and was gone in the blink of an eye.

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

My entire world darkened for nearly five minutes.

When I woke up, I heard a beautiful tune being hummed in the refresher. I opened my eyes and glanced around, looking through what used to be my old dorm.

I smiled and sat up.

The refresher door slid open and my Ahsoka came out of the refresher with a towel around her body.

_This was a week before we'd been assigned the mission._

She jumped and almost dropped the towel. "Whoa," I gasped. "Sorry."

She bit her lip and closed her eyes. "I didn't think you'd be up for a few more hours."

"I can –"

"No. You're up. Just… divert your attention elsewhere, please?"

I smirked and nodded. "No problem."

I felt a ton of confusion erupt from her as I laid down and turned onto my side, facing the wall. "What's with you this morning, Master?"

"Get dressed and we'll talk."

I closed my eyes and smiled widely. I could hear the towel hit the floor and I heard her slipping her outfit on. The boots always gave her trouble, but they were much easier today. "Okay, I'm dressed. Now, talk."

I sat up and she came closer to me, sitting on my bed. I could remember everything up to this point and beyond. I smiled at her and she looked even more confused than she had moments earlier. "Are you sick?"

"Am I not allowed to be happy?" I asked as she pressed the back of her hand against my forehead.

Her eyes gazed into mine and were _locked._ "There's something different about you."

"Oh?"

"The last time you looked at me like this…"

"Don't make it something that'll hurt me," I whispered.

"Master, please, don't do this to either of us."

She grabbed my mechanical hand and held it between both of hers tightly. "Please…"

"Well, I think it's time for me to go get something to eat."

I pushed myself off of the bed and felt her fingers grip my wrist tightly. "Don't leave."

I turned slightly and cocked an eyebrow at her. She lowered her gaze to the floor and closed her eyes. I knelt down in front of her and she put her hands out for me to take. I gratefully took her hands and held them.

"What's wrong?" I whispered, staring into her eyes.

"Master, I'm in love with someone."

"I understand."

"No. You _can't _understand. I feel so… _wrong._ I feel like I'm making a mistake."

"Love is a… _wonderful _thing, Ahsoka. It'll take time for you to find Mr. Right, if you allow yourself the time. Who is this someone anyway?"

She lifted her eyes to meet mine briefly with tears forming in them. "Lux Bonteri."

As much as I wanted to warn her about him, I didn't want to make myself seem desperate for her. Nonetheless, I knew she loved me more than she loved him. "Does he make you happy?"

"Sometimes."

"Has he ever made you cry?"

She bit her lip and tightened her fingers around mine. I watched her nod quickly. _So he'd hurt her before…_

"Never again," I whispered.

"What?"

"Never again will he make you cry. If he does, he'll answer to me."

"You're… y-you're okay with this?"

I shrugged and forced a smile. "I can't control your life. Only you can. If he's what you want, then that's the end of that conversation."

"You're not going to scold me about having feelings as a Jedi?"

"Nope."

"You're not going to tell anyone about it?"

"Nope."

"Do you even _care?_"

"Of course I do, Snips."

Without any warning at all, she jumped at me, knocking me onto my back. Her lips pressed against mine and our fingers intertwined at an awkward angle.

Her excitement coursed through me like an electric current. This was _so _much _better _than our first kiss. Her lekku hung over my shoulder and almost touched the floor.

I flipped us by rolling over. My legs straddled her body as I kissed her passionately. She arched her back and moaned in pleasure. "Master…"

"Ahsoka," I whispered, planting kisses on her lips every few moments.

"W-we c-can't d-do this…"

I opened my eyes and stared at her, stunned. "_What?_"

"I can't do this."

I pushed myself off of her and fell backwards into a sitting position, my knees bent as I continued to stare. "How many times are we going to go through this routine, Ahsoka? We kiss and then you say it's over. You honestly expect me to pretend that nothing's happened between us? We knew our relationship was going to go above and beyond that of the Master and his apprentice. I thought…"

"You thought what?"

"Just forget it," I whispered, my frustration taking over everything else. Different time, _same _Ahsoka. I pushed myself up and began to leave.

"Anakin."

I paused in the doorway, not expecting her to call me by my name. "Anakin," she repeated.

I glanced over my shoulder. "What?"

"Please, come here."

I sighed heavily and turned, crossing my arms over my chest. "Why? So you can mess with my head for the, what, third time? I'm getting tired of these games between us, Ahsoka. If you can't be serious with me, then –"

"Shut up and listen to me."

She came closer to me and, once again, grabbed my hands. "I _do _love you, but I'm _afraid _to love you."

I lowered my hands to intertwine our fingers once again. "Tell me _why._"

"I'm afraid of hurting you. I'm afraid of you hurting me. You're older, you're… you're _menacing _on the battlefield. How am I supposed to know whether or not you'll hurt me in the future? Right now, you love me, but what if I do something wrong and I upset you. What if –"

"Stop, okay?" She stared up at me, waiting for me to take over the conversation. When she began to ramble on and on, she wanted me to interject. "Nothing you do will _ever _affect the way I feel about you. When have I _ever _hurt you?"

"You've never hurt me," she whispered.

"And I never will. I promise."

"I just… I have this weird feeling about you. I feel as though you know something I don't and it's an intimidating feeling."

Holding everything in was beginning to kill me, but I didn't want to give everything away just yet. She – her _future _self – told me to only tell her what was necessary.

I lifted my left hand and stroked her cheek, smiling at her. "Don't be afraid of me."

"It's not you. I fear what's in store for us. What if we can't keep our love a secret?"

"What if we do?"

"What do you mean?"

"If we're a secret, will you be happy?"

She looked surprised, not realizing this factor. "If we're a secret, then I promise to love you properly until we're discovered. If we're discovered, then we'll leave _together._"

I smiled and kissed her nose. Despite being old and young at the same time, I rather enjoyed being here with her again. I'd missed her beautiful face… I'd missed everything about her and now I had it all once again.

"Then what have we to fear?"


	6. The Talk

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

Night came around all too quickly for me. My day had been well spent, however. Ahsoka talked to me quite a bit. I never knew she was _that _talkative, but I enjoyed and clung to every word that escaped her lips. She seemed concerned, worried, and nervous as she spoke and I reassured her that it was just me that she was talking to.

We were back in the dorm now. She and I were sitting on my bed, leaning against the wall. She leaned against me and closed her eyes and I smiled at her. "Are you okay?" I whispered. Her head bobbed against my shoulder as she nodded and I rested my mechanical hand on top of hers. "Are you sure?"

"Anakin, don't be one of those over-protective guys, all right? I love you and you love me. You don't always have to make sure I'm okay."

"I just want to know," I muttered. "I don't _just _love you, Ahsoka. I want to take care of you and make you happy."

She sighed and intertwined our fingers without moving the rest of her body. "Lux never said that to me before." She paused and opened her eyes, staring up at me. "Maybe that's why I was more drawn to you than I was to him. You're completely different from him. He didn't care about my feelings. Now, don't take that as –"

I chuckled and she raised her eye markings. "What's so funny?"

"I'm still getting used to all of the conversation you held inside."

She smirked and leaned to her right, twisting to lie on her back. I scooted over and laid down beside her, wrapping my arm around her waist. She turned her head to look at me and I immediately took my arm off of her. She raised her eye markings and pulled my arm back over her stomach. "Why did you move away from me?"

"You didn't seem like you liked my arm on you…" I whispered.

She held my arm tighter over her stomach and smiled weakly at me. "You're better at this than I am. You know what I like and what I don't like. Just go on instinct, Anakin. Even if you don't know that I don't like something, you'll be the first one to know."

I smiled and kissed her cheek. "I don't like that."

I bit my lip and she smirked. "I like it when you _really _kiss me."

I smiled and my heart began to race. I leaned over her and closed my eyes, pressing my lips against hers. Her left hand ran through my hair and her right rested on my neck. I could feel excitement erupting out of both of us, but I didn't want us to rush into something we'd regret later.

I pulled away and gasped for breath, keeping my eyes locked on hers. "You're beautiful," I whispered. "I can't imagine anyone else taking your place as my love."

She smiled and traced her fingers lightly over my jaw line. "I can't imagine either of us being with someone else." She stared at my mouth and gave me a curious look. "Do you think we have a chance? I mean, do you think _we _could have a future together?"

I slowly inclined towards her and kissed her once more. "If we stay strong, as we are right now, then I firmly believe we have a chance. We are the only ones that have influence over our feelings. No one else can stop us or get in our way."

A knock hit the door and we both jumped. I got off of her and she sat up, taking my hand tightly. "Anakin, are you in there?"

That voice…

It was full of so much life and it didn't sound so worn out and saddened. I kissed her cheek and she let go of my hand. "I love you," she whispered, sounding sincere and desperate.

"I love you."

I kissed her nose and stood up. She quickly crossed the room, lying on her bed. I stood in front of the door and it slid open, revealing the face of my former Master. "Obi-Wan," I breathed.

He raised an eyebrow at me and began to look at me differently. "I need to speak with you."

"Me, too," I replied quickly.

I looked over at Ahsoka and whispered, "I'll be right back."

She nodded before I stepped out of the dorm. Obi-Wan had his back to me and I could feel the nervousness rolling off of him in waves. "I have this weird feeling when I look at you, Anakin. Has something happened since we last spoke?"

"There _is _something I need to tell you, but we need to be somewhere more… _private._"

He spun around, giving me a very confused look. "What do you mean?"

I nodded towards the door and he realized that Ahsoka was trying to listen in on the conversation. His eyes met mine again and he motioned for me to follow him.

I thought over how I was going to explain all of this. In the future, he told me to tell him everything, but how much could his past self truly handle? Knowing that Ahsoka would die, that I would lose my sanity, and that he would be stuck with me for a decade…

How would that make him _feel?_

We entered the meditation chamber and sat in the center of the room. "You begin whenever you're ready."

I paused for a moment before looking into his eyes. "Obi-Wan, I haven't been… _myself _in quite some time. I've come from a place that you more than likely thought was impossible to travel from."

He cocked an eyebrow. "I'm… _older._ In a sense, I'm in another body. I don't even belong in this time period. I came back to fix my past."

"I certainly hope you aren't speaking in riddles, Anakin. You know how much I hate that."

I sighed and he continued. "If you're trying to tell me something, just come out and _say _it."

"I'm from the future – ten _years _in the future to be exact. I came back to fix my mistake. You told me to tell you everything and that's just what I'm going to do."

He gaped at me. "_Future?_ What mistake made you come back?"

"I lost someone _very _close to me and it caused me ten years of misery. You helped me by creating a device that allowed me to come back to this time."

"Well, obviously something doesn't happen to me. Who –?" He paused and stared directly into my eyes, diving into my soul. "_Ahsoka._"

I nodded slowly. "I… I _lost _her a week from today. In my time, I've just mourned for the tenth year, but, in this time, she hasn't met her fate yet. I want to stop it from happening again. It hurt too much…"

"How does she… _die?_"

"Obi-Wan, if I tell you –"

"You told my future self that you'd tell me everything, so _tell _me _everything._"

"It was just a mission."

"Which one?"

"One we'll be assigned in a week."

"Did you let her out of your sight? Anakin, you've always stuck with her. I highly doubt –"

He must have realized how sad my look was. He paused to gape at me and his eyes grew duller. "I told you to leave her, didn't I?"

I looked away for a moment before nodding slowly. His breath caught and I felt his sadness washing out of him in waves. He stepped closer to me and rested his hand on my shoulder. "Anakin, I'm –"

"I've learned to forgive you. Neither of us knew what was going to happen to her, which is why I've returned to this time. I told you what you need to know for now. I can't let the same mistake happen twice…"

"Anakin, what if she becomes defiant of your closeness?"

"I don't think she will be. She knows something's a little off about me, but she doesn't know _quite _yet."

"Why can't you just tell her? Perhaps she'll agree to stay behind in order to prevent this from happening again. It's worth a shot –"

"No," I snapped. "She can't know. She told me _not _to tell her."

"Oh. That complicates things."

"I know," I whispered. "I can't tell her even if I were allowed to. Just thinking about how much pain she went through before and during her death… the amount of pain I went through watching her die and… and living without her…"

My eyes were beginning to water and my chest was tightening. Ahsoka's death scene replayed in my mind and it made me _sick._

I pushed myself up and practically ran past him. My heart was aching so horribly and I wanted the pain to stop. "Anakin, wait!" he called out.

_That voice._ I'd run from it and I'd embraced it all the same. In all honesty, Obi-Wan had been my savior and he still was. He could save me from losing myself again and from losing Ahsoka. I turned slowly to face him and he stared at me in desperation with his arms extended.

"_Don't leave, Anakin. I need you just as much as you need me. We'll get through this together._" That sad voice echoed in my head. He wore the same expression he'd worn shortly after her death. Whether it be in the past or in the future, he would always be the same Obi-Wan.

I hesitated before running towards him. I slammed myself against his chest like a child would to a parent in their time of need. His arms wound around me tightly and I felt comforted. "I promise I'll keep her alive for you, Anakin. Just remember that she _is _alive and that you've got her now."

I nodded slowly and we separated. "I'll be your support, Anakin. You've suffered quite a bit from what you've told me and from how you're acting right now. Go relax for now, all right?"

Again, I nodded. I wiped my eyes and smiled weakly at him. "Take care of yourself, all right? Nothing will happen to Ahsoka. I _promise._"

"I know," I whispered. "I _trust _you."

He seemed a little taken back by how much faith I was putting into him, but it was all worth it. He'd shown me that there was life after a loved one's death. _He _had been the one to save me from so many suicidal attempts.

He clapped my shoulder, smiling warmly at me. "I'll see you shortly. I'm assuming we'll be receiving our mission shortly."

I nodded. "I'll… see you later, Master."

The two of us silently walked out of the chamber and went our separate ways back towards our own dorms. I rubbed my eyes and tried to calm myself before stopping outside of the door. It slid open before I could think about entering. "Are you okay?" a tiny voice whispered.

I looked down at her and smiled weakly. Standing before me was my beautiful Ahsoka. She was healthy and very much _alive._ I saw tears forming in her own eyes as my sadness began to wash out of me. I didn't want her to absorb it, but she chose to. "What's making you so sad?"

I shook my head, laughing slightly. "Nothing now." I stepped forward and wrapped her in my arms tightly, yet gently. I closed my eyes and inhaled her sweet, lively scent. "Seeing you makes me happy," I whispered against her montral.

She seemed a little shocked by my change of mood, but I was being honest. Seeing her look up at me made me feel good. I felt like a part of me had been revived upon seeing her for the first time earlier.

Her heart was beating against mine as we continued to hold each other. I felt her fingers twisting in my hair slowly and a silent sob wracked her body. "What's wrong, Ahsoka?"

"You make me so happy," she said through her sobs. "I wish I'd realized it before now. I have such a _bad _feeling…"

I kissed her montral and slowly forced her back into the dorm. "We'll make up for lost time. We've got all the time we need right now."

The door slid to a close behind us and I separated myself from her, lowering to kiss her lips slowly, taking her breath away for a few moments.


End file.
